Here I am gathering ideas for another devotion while sitting on my “Literary Log” among the cottonwoods. It’s a wonderful place to commune with our Creator and observe His creation. I’ve seen birds, squirrels, rabbits, snakes, and deer in this area, and love to sit and imagine a setting in this very spot a century ago. It’s also great fun to roam among the trees, stumps, and vegetation searching for more ideas!
On this page, you’ll find all sorts of writing suggestions and helps. I have been blessed tremendously by writer friends who have encouraged me in the writing profession. Their kindness has prompted me to share pointers and tips I’ve learned along the way with others. Hopefully, my comments will be helpful to you. Enjoy!
- Read a lot. It’ll teach you bunches about writing.
- Journal a lot. It’ll give you writing ideas.
- Use the internet. There are great writing tips and suggestions there.
- When writing, consider all five senses: what did the character see, feel, hear, smell, and taste? (the “tasting” is not always applicable).
- Genre is a category of writing based on style or subject matter. Example: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Romance, Cozy Mystery, and Suspense are all genres of fiction.
- Good devotionals aren’t didactic (preachy).
Write for His Glory Writers Conference
I attended the Southwest Christian Writers Association (Write for His Glory) conference in Hesperus, CO this past week-end. What an uplifting experience! It is amazing to see all the talent God has poured into His people and the results of the Holy Spirit’s labors through those He’s called forth to write for His glory.
Several talented Christian authors presented invaluable Writing sessions and workshops during the two days (Friday and Saturday), and I came away encouraged about my own writing and truly blessed. Adam Colwell was the Keynote Speaker, and what an inspiration he is! A freelance writer, member of the Presidential Prayer Team, and ghost writer, Adam is very talented in devotional writing. This is a guy you’d love to meet. Humble writer, Encourager, and Ambassador for Jesus all rolled into one package! Learn more about Adam and check out some of his writing samples at www.adam-colwell.com. My good friend (and award-winning author), Rhonda Gibson presented a great workshop on Writing the Novella for Publication. Click here to check out her website. Jean Campion, another great friend and author, presented on Writing Short Inspirational Pieces for Publication. Jean has written for Cup of Comfort, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, as well as numerous short stories for various other publications. She’s also written two novels and is working on a third. Being a teacher, I reallllly related to her two novels, a series about a young school teacher in the early 1900’s. Click here to check out her books at her publisher’s website. Connie Peters, another great friend, published writer and poet presented Write to God’s Heart, a workshop on prayer journaling and writing. Her stories and articles have appeared in several publications including Focuc on Your Child Newsletters, Cup of Comfort, and Wounded by Words. She shared creative ways to turn your prayer journaling into Psalm-like poetry in praise of our awesome God. Wonderful job, Connie! And our own Ph.D research biochemist and former university professor, story teller and technical writer, Joe Bowden, gave us tips on how to get the most out of the Write for His Glory Conference and other events. Joe is the only male author in the Entertainment Guide for the Godly Business Woman and it its companion cook book. He recently completed Calamity Jane and the Tale of Stone Soup, a children’s story written for a private company. I feel indebted to all these wonderful professionals who gave of their time to and talents to bless us with Christlike encouragement and guidance.
If you are a Christian and a writer, I hope you will prayerfully consider writing for God’s glory, if you’re not doing it already! What a wonderful way to grow in the Word! Devotional writing especially can reach soooo many people!
